A D&D 5th Edition Campaign
You've heard the rumors for weeks now. In every tavern, at every market stall, on the lips of every soldier and farmer across the kingdom of Athea: the Queen has lost her mind.
Queen Beva, Sovereign of Athea, has announced a Grand Tournament. The prize: one hundred thousand gold from the royal treasury and the title of Champion Lord of the Realm. Effective rulership of the entire kingdom, handed to whoever can win it.
The factions are already mobilizing. The Fjords are sharpening their axes. The Locas are making deals in dark rooms. The Beloved are praying and plotting. Even the Primals, silent for so long, have sent word that they will compete.
You are not one of these people. You are no legend. No faction champion. No one's first pick for anything. But you've got a reason to be here, and you've made the journey to the Capital to enter your name.
Thousands of others have done the same. When you arrive, you'll find a city overflowing with warriors, mages, and monsters from every corner of Athea. Teams backed by faction warlords with matching armor and war banners. Heroes whose names you grew up hearing in stories.
You are not them. Not yet.
The kingdom of Athea is a single landmass ruled, in name, by Queen Beva from the Capital at its center. In practice, three rival factions have claimed territory across the kingdom, and tensions are high. Your character lives somewhere in the Queen's Court, the central region that remains under the Queen's direct authority.
There are five major factions in Athea. You belong to the Queen's Court, but you've grown up aware of all of them. Here's what any common citizen would know:
The heart of Athea. Home to people of every race, class, and creed. Some are fiercely loyal to Queen Beva. Many are simply people who value the freedom and opportunity the Court provides. Former members of other factions who wanted a fresh start often end up here. It's a melting pot: diverse, open, and occasionally chaotic. This is your home.
A Viking-like warrior people who arrived from distant lands a few generations ago. The Queen granted them the northeastern island as a homeland. They've since expanded well beyond it. They are loud, proud, and mostly fight with steel rather than magic. The rare bard is about as magical as they get. They value strength, honor, and freedom, especially the freedom to take what they want.
What started as scattered pirates and bandits became an organized crime syndicate under the Locas family, who control the southeastern reaches. The Locas family is rumored to share blood with the Queen's royal line: a rival lordship exiled long ago. They are disciplined, ruthless, and run their territory like a business. They believe the throne was stolen from them.
The oldest people of Athea. They inhabited the entire kingdom's wilderness for millennia before civilization pushed them to the southwestern corner. They are nature-bound, fiercely protective of their remaining land, and primarily practice druidic and nature-based traditions. They keep to themselves, and they make outsiders regret trespassing.
An ancient religious order with no territory but enormous influence. Their temples exist in every region except the Primal Lands, and they welcome worshippers of nearly any deity. They are known for their generosity, kindness, and an unusual trait: every member of the Beloved bears a magical rune that prevents them from lying. If they speak an untruth, the rune burns their flesh, and a serious enough lie can kill them. This makes them uniquely trusted across Athea. They are primarily paladins and clerics, though all are welcome to join their ranks.
The Grand Tournament is open to any team of up to five. To qualify, a team must complete the Tetratrile, a magical dungeon trial. Teams that pass are awarded 1,000 gold and entry into the Grand Tournament itself. The qualifying window is six months, and any team can attempt the Tetratrile at any point during that period.
Events in the Grand Tournament span combat, puzzles, knowledge challenges, debates, escapes, and more.
One thing every competitor knows: the Tetratrile is a magically protected dungeon. You can fail its quest without dying. The Grand Tournament is not. Failure there has real, fatal consequences.
You can be any race and any class available in D&D 5th Edition. Beyond that, here are the key things to know:
You live in the Queen's Court. You have humble origins. You're not a faction champion, not a noble, not a legend. You're someone with just enough skill and just enough reason to make the long trip to the Capital and throw your name into a tournament that no one expects you to survive.
Before you build your character, sit with these questions for a bit:
Why are you here?
Is it the gold? The glory? Are you trying to prove something to someone? Are you running from something? Did someone dare you? Did you lose everything and this is your last shot?
What kind of person are you?
Are you a fighter who grew up scrapping in back alleys, or a bookish wizard who has never been in a real fight? A smooth-talking rogue who sees the tournament as the ultimate score? A cleric who believes the gods have called them to something greater? A ranger who has spent their whole life on the edges of the kingdom and wants to see what the fuss is about?
What's your relationship to the factions?
You're a Queen's Court citizen, but that doesn't mean you don't have opinions. Maybe you grew up near the Locas border and learned to watch your back. Maybe you've worshipped at a Beloved temple your entire life. Maybe you've always been fascinated by the Primals and the old ways. Maybe you think the Fjords are honorable warriors, or maybe you think they're invaders with good PR.
What are you afraid of?
Every good character has something they're not ready to face. It doesn't have to be dramatic. It just has to be real.
Do you know anyone else at the table?
If you and another player want your characters to have a history together, work that out between you. Old friends, rivals, siblings, former coworkers, whatever feels right. If not, you'll be meeting as strangers when the campaign begins.
New to D&D?
If you've never played before, don't worry about getting everything "right." Think about the kind of person you want to play first, and we'll find the mechanics that fit. Want to be a bruiser who hits things? We've got options. Sneaky? Magical? A healer? A smooth talker? A weirdo who talks to animals? All of it works. Start with the personality, and the character sheet will follow.
Think about who your character is, why they're here,
and what they'd risk everything for.
Come ready to be the underdog.